The Braves started the weekend eight games behind the Giants in the race for the National League’s No. 3 wild card. They ended the weekend eight games behind the Padres in the race for the No. 3 wild card. Failing to sweep the lowly Rockies was another missed chance for the Braves as they try to become the first team to lose its first seven games and make the playoffs.
Back then, they said they were different from other 0-7 teams because they were not a bad team, just a good team playing badly. The Braves looked as if they’d back up those words less than a month ago. They joined the 2008 Tigers as the only 0-7 teams to get their record above water. But the Braves (31-39) are in an even bigger hole after 70 games played.
The Braves have won four of their past six games, but they need sweeps. The Rockies have been swept in 11 series this season. The Braves couldn’t do it in two tries. They lost 10-1 on Sunday because of the same old deficiencies. Their bats and bullpen couldn’t back up a strong outing from the starting pitcher.
The Braves trailed 2-1 in the seventh inning when Grant Holmes (15 strikeouts) gave way to Enyel De Los Santos with one out and one runner on base. De Los Santos allowed two runs to score while failing to record an out. He was replaced by José Ruiz, who allowed two more runs.
Ruiz is among the relievers acquired in desperation moves by the Braves. He had an 8.16 ERA when the Phillies dumped him. The Braves might start hitting better with the players on the roster now. They’ll never have an effective bullpen unless they trade for effective relievers.
The Braves can mirror the 2008 Tigers by staying competitive until the trade deadline. The Tigers were 32-37 on June 15, 2008. They were 55-54 on Aug. 1, four games behind in the wild-card standings. Then the Tigers lost four consecutive games. They didn’t have a winning record for the rest of the season.
The 2008 Tigers finished 74-88. The 2025 Braves are on pace to finish 72-90.
Dream look like city’s best pro sports team
The Dream (8-3) are breaking free from the city’s pack of losing professional sports teams. They stand third in the WNBA after winning three consecutive games and seven of eight. Most of those victories came against bottom-tier teams, but three were on the road, and only one of them was close.
The Dream beat the Sky on Friday. Rhyne Howard scored 36 points and tied the WNBA record for 3-pointers made in a game (nine). The Dream won 89-56 at Washington on Sunday. Allisha Gray scored a career-high 32 points on just 14 shots.
As advertised, the Dream are shooting a lot of 3-pointers under first-year coach Karl Smesko. They lead the WNBA in attempts per minute. But Smesko has integrated Brittney Griner and fellow frontcourt bruiser Brionna Jones into his offense. The pair have combined for 19.4 shots and 23.8 points per game. Jones ranks third in offensive-rebounding percentage among players 25 minutes or more per game.
The field is clear for the Dream. The bar is low for Atlanta’s pro sports teams.
The Falcons finished their seventh consecutive losing season in January. The Hawks missed the playoffs for a second straight season. Atlanta United (4-9-5) hasn’t score a goal in two away losses since recording back-to-back home victories. The Braves are 7-16 this season since they last had a winning record.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder’s top assistant reportedly departs
Several reports say Hawks coach Quin Snyder’s lead assistant, Igor Kokoskov, is leaving to become head coach of Anadolu Efes of Turkey’s top league in EuroLeague. According to BasketNews, Kokoskov was in “advanced talks” to join the Blazers as an assistant coach. So, it seems Kokoskov was separating from the Hawks one way or another.
As Snyder looks for a new lead assistant, it’s still not clear what kind of team the Hawks will be next season. They finished 40-42 this season, before losing both of their games in the postseason Play-In tournament. Trae Young said he’s tired of playing mentor to young teammates and wants to win. Then-general manager Landry Fields said patience is needed.
Principal owner Tony Ressler fired Fields and said he was hiring a president of basketball operations. No hire has been announced with less than two weeks before the draft. Now there’s a major vacancy on the team’s coaching staff.
Kokoskov has been an NBA assistant since 2000, save for one-year head-coaching stints with the Suns and Turkish club Fenerbahçe. Kokoskov previously worked for Snyder at Missouri and with the Jazz, and they reunited with the Hawks in May 2023.
Kokoskov filled in as head coach when Snyder was out ill for a game against the Bucks in May.
“His experience, I think for an assistant in the league, (it) is very unique,” Snyder told reporters then.
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